Guardian ad Litem (GAL) and Court Visitor

Education and Training

In 1997, minimum training requirements were established for GALs in Washington. Links to statutes governing training are provided below. Training curricula were developed for Title 11 guardianships, Title 13 dependencies and Title 26 domestic relations. The Title 26 domestic relations GAL initial requirements were updated and made effective January 1, 2007. In addition, local courts may have additional requirements, such as minimum education (BA, MA, etc.). A  GAL will be required to provide information such as related training, criminal history, experience and previous appointments as a GAL, and whether the GAL was removed from a registry because of a grievance. For GAL eligibility requirements, contact the GAL Program Manager for that court.

For more information on becoming a GAL, visit the superior court website for your county or contact the court administrator’s office. Administrator contact information for each superior court, including links to each county’s homepage, are provided in the Washington Court Directory. Links to GAL requirements for some of the larger courts are provide below:

• King
• Pierce
• Snohomish
• Spokane
• Thurston

	Governing statutes are found in RCW 2.56, RCW 11.88, RCW 13.34, RCW 26.12
	If you want to become a volunteer guardian ad litem or CASA for dependencies, you can contact Washington Association of Child Advocate Programs at www.washingtonstatecasa.org.
	If you are interested in becoming a certified professional guardian for Title 11 guardianships, you can check the courts' website for more information at the Guardianship Portal.
	If you want to become a paid guardian ad litem for either Title 11 guardianship or Title 26 domestic relations matters, click here for information about training opportunities.